Decoys have been used by hunters to coax wild birds into firing range for years. The average hunter adds 50-200 decoys to his spread per year and there is a need for an inexpensive, easily transportable, life-like movable decoy. The decoys currently available on the market are lacking in several areas: Stackability in their assembled configurations, having to use two separate heads or decoys for feeding and sentinel positions, life-like movement and ability to convert land decoys to water buoyant decoys easily and quickly.
For explanation purposes, the example of geese will be used even though the present invention is for all wild game birds.
Geese fly, land and feed into the wind. Because they land in the back of or behind a spread of already grounded geese, they need to see what appears to be a life-like bird as they approach.
Other decoys are known and some are described hereinafter. U.S. Pat. #4,062,141, Shjeflo teaches a decoy with a flexible wind sock body construction which inflates, when directed into the wind, and gives the appearance of a real duck or goose. Experience with this particular invention shows the decoy is not stackable, does not work well in reduced winds and is considerably more expensive than other decoys.
U.S. Pat. #4,172,335, Farmer teaches a decoy shaped as a partial conical structure for the decoy body and a head shaped stake for assembly of two sections and mounting into the ground. The decoys have to be disassembled for carrying and the hunter is required to have two separate head stakes for feeding and sentinel positions. The decoy is designed to have one stationary position and the head stake is designed to have almost no depth which makes it virtually invisible to an approaching bird. The rear portion of the decoy is open and again virtually impossible to be seen by an approaching bird. This decoy is also not adaptable to water use.
U.S. Pat. #4,318,240, Hillesland teaches a decoy made to resemble a three dimensional structure. The decoy is not stackable in an assembled position, is mounted directly to the ground and is not designed for any type of movement. This one also is not adaptable to water use.
None of the prior art found simulates real bird movement; they do not adapt easily to land and water and they are not as easily transportable in their assembled configurations as the present invention.